Koiishi
by madmiko
Summary: IYYYH crossover. White Day oneshot sequel to Koibito. HieiKagome


-1DISCLAIMER: "InuYasha" and "YuYu Hakusho" were created by and belong to the great Takahashi-san and Togashi-san. I'm just having fun borrowing their characters.

A/N: White Day is a Japanese holiday celebrated on March 14th -- one month after Valentine's Day. On Valentine's Day, women give the men in their life chocolate -- either _giri choco_ (obligatory chocolates) or _honmei choco _( indicating they consider a special man a "prospective winner.") White Day is a day set aside for the men to reciprocate by "Sangai-gaeshi" ( triple return). In other words, the man usually tries to give something worth almost triple the value of the gift he received. (Doesn't seem fair, does it?)

Originally, White Day was called Marshmallow Day, as a marshmallow confectioner tried to convince men to repay the chocolates they had received with marshmallows. Now, men usually give women gifts of white chocolates or cakes or cookies. (Some still give marshmallows.) If a woman gave a man _honmei choco_, it was tantamount to professing her love for him. If the man doesn't return those feelings, he might give her a white handkerchief on White Day to dry her tears over him, or perhaps just a small token of some candy. If the man _does_ return her feelings, he could buy her anything from candy or flowers to expensive handbags or jewelry -- traditionally something white, or at least wrapped in a special white gift box.

This one-shot takes place after Kagome presented Hiei with a gift and special homemade _honmei choco_ for Valentine's Day in "Koibito."

mental/telepathic conversations - "**_Hiei_**" "_Kurama_" "**Youko**"

koiishi, koibito - beloved

Aishiteru - I love you

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_From "Koibito"_:

Kurama looked at the chocolate heart in Hiei's hand. "Oh, no! She didn't actually _make_ you honmei choco, did she?!?" he asked in shock. Then he started laughing. "How is it?"

Hiei frowned at him and took a bite. Then he smiled smugly at Kurama. "_You_ won't receive any that's better." And he meant it. It was rich and creamy and very, very sweet -- just the way he liked it. But as delicious as it was, it really couldn't compare to the sweetness of her kiss, or to the word she had obviously taken such care to carve into the front of the heart. Who knew that one word could make you feel so special?

"_Koibito_"

(_Beloved_)

"So, … what are you going to get her for White Day?"

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Koiishi

_February 14th_

As Kagome walked to Kaede's village to rejoin her friends on their quest for the shards, she wore a slightly goofy-looking smile on her face and had a dreamy expression in her eyes. She had actually done it. She had given Hiei the _honmei choco_ she had made, along with the bandanna she had warded for his Jagan, and she had told him how she felt. She had had no expectations of him returning her feelings, but he meant so much to her that she just had to let him know.

He had been such a comforting presence in her life ever since the Spirit Detectives had taken up guarding her in her time. He hadn't exactly been friendly at first, but he had given her a chance to prove herself to him. And during the time they had spent together, she had come to respect him for the high standards he held himself to, his loyalty to his friends, (though he would never admit he thought of them that way), and his dedication to his job, (though he would deny _that_ vehemently and claim he had no choice in the matter.) And then there was his unswerving dedication to protecting his sister in any and all ways -- he might not come right out and say it, but it was obvious he adored her.

It hadn't taken long for the respect she felt for him to transform into friendship. She was truly at ease whenever he was around. His presence was undemanding, and he made her feel safe. He knew about the dual life she lived and the responsibilities she had, and she could talk to him about things she couldn't tell anyone else. Her worries, her struggles, her fears, her mistakes, and her triumphs. And while he didn't say much himself, he always listened, and never judged -- well, except when it came to Inuyasha. After that first meeting, when Hiei had thought Inuyasha saw her as his future mate, and she had explained about Inuyasha and Kikyou, he had proceeded to bait Inuyasha every time he came to get her. And every time she returned from home, Inuyasha gave her heck about spending so much time with "the sawed-off runt."

And yet, in spite of Inuyasha's obvious dislike, and the way her quest dominated her life, and her frantic dashing around trying to catch up on everything when she was home, _somehow_ she had found the time to fall in love with the quiet, reserved, intelligent bodyguard who had been assigned to protect her. And did she mention, that even for a fire demon, he was pretty darn HOT? Well, he was.

So, here it was: Valentine's Day. And she had done what she had never thought she'd have the courage to do, and had confessed her feelings for him. For all the teasing he did about her cooking efforts and her panic over her schoolwork, she knew he wouldn't tease her about her feelings or make her ashamed of them, even if he couldn't return them. And for all his independence and seeming indifference to his ties with others, Kagome sensed he harbored a loneliness inside and perhaps even a longing for affection -- even if he might outwardly disdain it. It was because of those things she sensed in him that she was able to screw up her courage and tell him she loved him. She had even pressed a quick kiss to his lips. (Of course, she had immediately turned around and tried to jump in the well.) But, he had stopped her. And he had told her he would be there when she got back. And, … he had kissed her. That's why she was walking around Feudal Japan in a happy daze. At least, she _was_ …

"Oi! Where the hell have you been, wench?" Inuyasha stood out in front of Kaede's hut with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Hmmmm? Oh, hi Inuyasha. Isn't it a beautiful morning?" she greeted him, with that slightly goofy-looking smile still on her face.

"Hmph. The morning will be over soon and we need to get on the road. And what's with the extra bag? You can't carry that all over the place."

Kagome just walked on by as she entered the hut and greeted everyone. "Ohayo, minna-san!"

"Ohayo, Kagome-sama. You seem to be in a good mood today," Miroku commented.

"Ohayo, Kagome-chan," Sango said, packing some food into a sack to take along with them.

"Kagome!" Shippou zipped over and jumped up to greet her. She barely had time to set down her bag before she caught him and laughed. "Did you bring them? Did you?" He looked at her with excitement dancing in his eyes.

"Hai. You didn't think I would forget, did you?"

"What did you bring, Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked curiously.

"Who cares? We need to get going," Inuyasha grumbled as he stomped into the hut.

"Just give me a minute, okay Inuyasha?" she asked sweetly.

"Keh. Just hurry up."

"Well, I told Shippou about a custom in my time that is celebrated each year on this day. It's called Valentine's Day. I didn't get a chance to celebrate it last year because I couldn't get home in time. But it is a day for women to show their appreciation to the men in their life with a special gift. And you are three of the most important men in my life, so these are for you. Thank you." She bowed. And then she reached into her bag and handed Shippou, Miroku, and Inuyasha each a box of chocolates, hugging them each in turn as she did.

"Keh." A slight blush tinged Inuyasha's cheeks. But Miroku just grinned. "I must say, I am all for any custom that involves beautiful women giving gifts accompanied by an open embrace."

Kagome giggled. Then she turned to Kaede and Sango. "Although the custom is to show appreciation to the men in your life, I wanted to let you know, too, how very much you mean to me, so these are for you. Thank you." Again, she bowed, and then handed them each a box, also, along with a heartfelt hug. Then she cupped her hand beside her mouth and leaned forward as though imparting a great secret, "Besides, I don't think men truly appreciate chocolates as much as women do -- they're _good_!"

"Hey, Kagome? Who are those _other _boxes for?" Shippou asked, his mouth full of chocolate.

"Well, I brought some for Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku. And Totosai and Myouga, if we run into them. And, of course, Sesshoumaru and Jaken."

"What?!!? I can't believe you would give those bastards something," Inuyasha yelled. Then he stepped close to her and sniffed. "You gave something to that little 3-eyed freak, too, didn't you? You reek of him."

Kagome couldn't contain the blush that stained her cheeks. "Hai. And Hiei's not a freak! He's been really good to me." She glared at him in warning. Sango and Miroku exchanged knowing looks and smiled.

"Yeah, well, I'll be having a talk with shortshit next time you go home," he mumbled to himself. "Now come on. Let's go."

And they gathered their equipment and headed out.

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_Thursday, February 22nd_

Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama were sitting in the kitchen at Genkai's with Keiko and Yukina. The detectives had been training hard, and were now relaxing with a cold drink. Hiei stepped in the room, his hair still dripping just a bit from his shower. "I will be back in a couple of days," he said with a nod to Yukina.

"Hey, shrimp. Where ya going?" Kuwabara asked.

"My whereabouts are no concern of yours, idiot." And he left in a blur of black.

"Just don't forget you've got miko duty this weekend!" Yusuke yelled after him.

Yukina giggled.

"What's so funny?" Yusuke asked.

"I think that's where he's going now," she told him with a smile.

"Now? But she's not supposed to be back until tomorrow or the next day," the toushin pointed out. He narrowed his eyes in thought. "He likes her, doesn't he?"

Kuwabara spewed out the soda he had just taken a drink of. "WHAT?!!?" He looked at Yusuke and then around at the others. "You're not serious, are you, Urameshi? You think shorty likes a girl?"

He and Yusuke turned to Kurama. "Well?"

"Well what?" he said with a smile.

"If anyone would know, _you_ would. So spill it," Yusuke demanded.

"I don't think Hiei would appreciate us talking about his personal life," the avatar admonished them.

"So he _does_ like her. Too bad."

"Why do you say that, Yusuke?" Keiko asked him.

"Because, … well, just _look_ at Kagome. She's so pretty and nice and caring. She'd never go for a rude, anti-social, little twerp like Hiei."

"That's not nice. And besides, you're wrong," his girlfriend told him with a knowing tone to her voice.

"Ah, what do _you_ know about it?" Yusuke brushed her off.

"It just so happens that I _do_ know. Kagome asked me for a recipe for _honmei choco_ for Valentine's Day." Keiko gave him a superior smirk.

"Holy crap! Kagome tried to cook something?" Yusuke and Kuwabara burst out laughing. "But how do you know it was for Hiei? Though it would serve him right …"

Keiko smacked him on the head. "Stop that! With all the stuff Kagome has to do, it's not her fault she hasn't been able to learn to cook. I'm sure it turned out fine. And I know it was for Hiei because I made her tell me before I gave her the recipe."

Yukina clapped her hands in delight. "I thought so! I'm so glad. I think they're perfect for each other."

Kurama sighed. "Well, since everyone knows, I suggest you refrain from teasing him about it."

The other two detectives stared at him. "Yeeeeah, … riiiiight …" Then they burst out laughing again.

Kagome climbed up the ladder inside the well and threw her backpack over the side as she reached the top. She let out a small shriek when she felt arms encircle her waist as someone lifted her up and out of the well. Her cry was cut off by the feel of warm, firm lips pressing against hers. She melted in the embrace of the very demon who had occupied most of her thoughts while she had trudged along with her companions for the past 9 days. When their lips parted, she gave a contented little sigh before asking, "Hiei? What are you doing here?"

"Hn. Didn't I tell you I would be here when you returned?"

"Yes, but I came back a day early -- how did you know I was coming today?"

He arched a brow at her and smirked, causing her cheeks to turn a delightful shade of pink visible even in the dim light of the wellhouse. "Because you were coming back to me," he said simply. Her blush deepened.

Just then, the magic of the well pulsed and a red-clad hanyou leapt out. "Kagome! I told you to …" His voice trailed off at the sight of Kagome in Hiei's arms. "So, _that's_ why you were in such a damn hurry to get back. _You_, …" His eyes flashed gold as he pointed at Hiei then jerked a thumb at the door, "outside."

Hiei's eyes flashed in response, then narrowed. He nodded, then leaned forward and kissed Kagome again briefly. "Do not interfere."

"Wha …?" But they had already left her standing in the little building. "Hey!" she ran outside to see them already battling each other furiously. The clang of steel on steel rang out in the courtyard. "Inuyasha, SI …"

"Don't you say it, Kagome! Just go inside!" he ordered her.

"Go inside?!!? Go _inside_?!!? Are you crazy?" Her voice rose a little hysterically.

"Kagome, go. I won't kill him -- I'm just going to teach him a lesson," Hiei told her.

"Teach me a lesson?!!? Who the fuck do you think you are? The only one around here who's going to get taught a lesson is _you_, you little spikey-haired runt!"

And that was the scene that greeted the eyes of the other 3 Spirit Detectives as they reached the top of the steps at the Higurashi Shrine. Assessing the situation, Kurama quickly made his way over to Kagome. "I think it would be best if you went inside. They're just testing each other. They'll be all right."

She looked at him uncertainly with tears glistening in her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," he said confidently. (_And if they're not, they're youkai -- they'll heal._) So, Kurama led her to the house and sent her in, promising to not let them get out of hand.

"**You know _our_ idea of 'out-of-hand' and _her_ idea of 'out-of-hand' are probably not the same,**" Youko laughed.

"_I know, but they need to do this without having to worry about her getting in the way._"

"**You're right about that. As a ningen, she doesn't understand the importance of what they're doing. I'm surprised the hanyou is forcing the issue, though. He must have realized Hiei is really serious about her -- who would have thought the little hothead would choose a _miko_?**"

Kurama chuckled. "_No one -- least of all **him**, I'm sure. But we've all seen how much calmer and more content he is when she's around._"

Yusuke and Kuwabara had walked over beside Kurama to watch the fight. "So, what brought this on?"

"I'm not positive what prompted it right now, but it was inevitable once Hiei expressed his interest in her, or she her interest in him."

"Why's that?" Kuwabara asked.

"Because Inuyasha has stood as her protector throughout her travels in the past. He never claimed her for himself, but obviously feels like he's responsible for her. So, it's his duty to make sure anyone who _does_ want to claim her is strong enough to take over protecting her."

"Makes sense. That should appeal to your sense of honor, Kuwabara," Yusuke nudged him.

"Yeah. But Kagome's gonna be awful mad when she sees how beat up they are."

Twenty minutes later, Kagome had had enough of waiting for them in the house. She came out and threw a barrier up in between them that threw them both back about 15 feet. Hiei and Inuyasha lay on the ground for a few seconds, panting slightly from the exertion of their fight, and wincing slightly from numerous cuts, bruises, and fractures. As they started to get up, she shouted, "Idiots! That's enough posturing. You're both big, strong, tough guys, okay? But now, Inuyasha, instead of spending the next couple of days trying to find out where we should go next to hunt down Naraku or any shards that may still be out there, you're going to have sit around and heal up. And _you_!" She pointed at Hiei, who was slowly making his way over to her. "Do you think I busted my butt running across the country to get back here just to spend some time playing nursemaid to you? What were you trying to…?" But Hiei silenced her by pulling her close to him and kissing her heatedly.

"Well, shit. Figures that would shut her up," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Wonder if that would work with Keiko?" Yusuke mused.

"I'm sure it would, but I doubt you'll be able to get Hiei to kiss her since he's with Kagome," Kuwabara ribbed him, then dodged out of the way when Yusuke took a swing at him.

"Ha ha. Very funny, wise guy."

"**Actually, for Kuwabara, it _was_ pretty good**," Youko commented.

Kurama silently agreed.

"Are you done now?" Kagome asked Hiei quietly.

"I'm done with _him_," he said, nodding in Inuyasha's direction, while giving her a cocky little grin.

As vivid color rushed to her cheeks, she said, "I'd hit you if you weren't already such a mess." But she ran her fingers lightly over his cheek.

"Ahem! Just because I'm giving you my approval doesn't mean I want to have to see that," Inuyasha growled at them.

Kagome stared at him incredulously. "Giving your _approval_? Who do you think …?" And once more, Hiei effectively stopped her tirade.

"I _definitely_ have to try that on Keiko."

"Bah," Inuyasha grumbled again.

And they all went inside, where Kagome sent Inuyasha and Hiei to clean up so she could patch them up before dinner -- Yusuke and Kuwabara agreeing to stay only after Kagome assured them her _mother_ was the one doing the cooking, making Kagome pout a little, and earning them a fierce glare from Hiei.

After she had healed what she could of the worst of their injuries, and treated and bandaged the rest, they all gathered in the kitchen for a great meal --courtesy of Kagome's mother, -- and then settled down in the living room to play some video games with Souta. Kagome sat on the couch in between Hiei and Kurama, while Inuyasha and the other two detectives took turns getting their butts kicked by the little boy while playing "Naruto: Clash of Ninjas 2." It wasn't long before Kagome's head fell against Hiei's shoulder, as she gave in to her tiredness. She really _had_ pushed herself and her companions in her hurry to get back home, and using her healing powers always taxed her energy. When Hiei wrapped an arm around her and tucked her up against him more comfortably, Kurama nodded to him and excused himself, and Yusuke and Kuwabara, ignoring their protests, and ushered them out. When Souta got up to get ready for bed, Inuyasha stood in front of the couch and looked down at Hiei and Kagome.

"You better take care of her," he said gruffly.

Hiei arched a brow at him and nodded. And as Inuyasha turned to leave, he asked, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you claim her for yourself? It's obvious you want to."

Inuyasha sighed. "If things were different, … If Kikyou hadn't been resurrected, … I'm not free."

"From what Kagome has said, the undead priestess is not really the woman you knew. And even if she were, in the form she is in, there is no future possible with her," Hiei pointed out.

The hanyou nodded sadly. "I know the others don't understand, and they think I'm stupid -- except for Kagome. But, I know that. My head knows that. It's my heart that can't let go." He looked Hiei straight in the eye and asked quietly, "If it were Kagome, in whatever form, would you be able to turn your back on her?" After a moment of silence that cemented the understanding between the two, Inuyasha once again turned to leave. Over his shoulder, he threw the fire demon a mocking glance, "You're not good enough for her, you know."

Hiei nodded. "I know." He sat there quietly for a while after Inuyasha left, content just holding the woman at his side as he absentmindedly slid his fingers through her long, thick hair. Then he picked her up and carried her up the stairs to her room, tucking her into her bed before settling down in her windowsill for the night.

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The next two days passed too quickly for Hiei, as he enjoyed being able to spend time with Kagome knowing she felt the same way about him as he had been feeling about her. They spent one day over at Genkai's with the others, where he found himself the butt of their jokes and teasing much of the time. They were having a ball at his expense about the way he was sticking so close to her, or the way he kept reaching out to touch her, or the way he lightly ran his hand up and down her back when they sat beside each other. But he had had the last laugh. Although he couldn't contain a few angry glares and one or two threats of imminent bodily harm, for the most part, he had merely smirked smugly at them, causing them to stare at him with their mouths hanging open until Keiko or Shizuru or Botan smacked them on their heads. That had been fun. None of them had expected Hiei to be so open about his relationship with Kagome or his feelings about her. Hell, _he_ hadn't expected it, either. But then, he hadn't known _what_ to expect -- he had never had these feelings before -- had never expected someone to feel that way about _him_.

It amazed him really, that for a youkai who had lived as long as he had and had done the things he'd done, he was so affected by the love of an ordinary ningen onna. Scratch that -- there was nothing _ordinary_ about Kagome. He wasn't sure what it was about her that drew him to her, and he didn't even know if he _wanted_ to know, but being with her made him feel a bone-deep contentment he'd never experienced before, and … happy. That last part was a little scary because it was so alien to him, and because he knew it was tied up in her own happiness, making him determined to do everything he could to make her feel that way. He was definitely treading on unfamiliar grounds, and for once, he was glad he had those idiots for friends, because he had a feeling he might need some advice in the future.

As for Kagome, those two days marked a turning point in her already crazy and tumultuous life. She laughed to herself as she thought about it, but to her, being with Hiei, -- an extremely powerful _youkai,_ who she knew could be a vicious, merciless killing machine, and who others considered cold, rude, and heartless, -- made her feel she had finally found something stable and _real_ she could hold on to when the rest of her life was full of the dangers and fears and turmoil of her quest or the often frivolous, but frantic anxieties of trying to fit into the "normal" life of a young woman in today's world. He made her feel safe and happy and cherished -- like she was really special and wanted.

She had been rather nervous about seeing him again after her declaration of love on Valentine's Day, but excited, too. What if he had changed his mind? What if he had just kissed her because he didn't want to hurt her feelings? He had said he'd be there when she got back, but then again, it _was_ his job to protect her when she was home. Had she read too much into it? Oh, she hoped not! He was so different from everyone else in her life. He didn't want anything from her, nor did he seem to expect her to act a certain way. He didn't criticize her or belittle her faults. (Okay, so he _did _tease her about her cooking, but it really _was_ awful.) And he didn't fawn all over her or praise her for doing good, either, which was a relief, as it always made her feel embarrassed and worried about others' expectations of her when someone did that. He accepted her just as she was, and for who she was. Oh, she knew that Inuyasha never meant to compare her to Kikyou -- he just couldn't help it. She had accepted that and she forgave him for it. She just hoped that he would be able find the happiness he deserved someday. But she still couldn't believe he had fought with Hiei like that. Baka male youkai.

When she had reached the top of the well, and Hiei was there, waiting for her, she had really felt like she had come home. And when he kissed her, she _knew_. She knew that he really did feel the same way she did. She grinned at the thought. Then Inuyasha had shown up and the two males who meant the most to her had acted like a couple of idiots. She knew they all thought she didn't understand their need to "test" each other, as Kurama had said, but she did. She had known why Inuyasha and Kouga had always fought and traded insults -- she wasn't stupid. But since she hadn't returned Kouga's feelings, and Inuyasha couldn't return hers, what was the point? That's why she had always interfered. Now when Inuyasha had challenged _Hiei_ to prove himself, she was annoyed because _anyone_ could see he was powerful enough to protect her, and even if he wasn't, she loved him, so it didn't make any difference. So, really, all they were doing was pissing on each other's boots and hurting each other needlessly. Males. She shrugged her shoulders. At least they had gotten it out of their systems.

And then she had been able to spend the next two days with Hiei. She had no idea what to expect from him as a "boyfriend," -- in public _or_ in private, but as long as she could be with him, she'd be happy. But, he had surprised her with his attentiveness in front of their friends. And in spite of all the teasing he had been subjected to, he had seemed as calm and content as she had ever seen him. And seeing him like that made her feel happy. She knew right then, that no matter what else was going on in her life, she could handle it and be content herself -- if she could be with Hiei. But for now, she had to go back.

So, here they stood, once again by the well. She would only be gone for a week this time. She had called Ayumi to check up on her school obligations, and had found out they had a major exam scheduled for the following Monday. She only had a couple of months until she graduated, and she really wanted to keep her marks up in case she ever decided to apply for university. She wasn't sure if she would or not, -- she avoided making plans for the future while the situation with the Shikon no Tama and Naraku was still so uncertain. But, she would definitely come back to take that exam. And she knew Hiei would be here waiting for here.

She leaned into him and kissed him tenderly. He pulled her closer and held on like he would never let go. And he didn't want to. And she didn't want him to. But, she had to go. "I'll be back soon. Aishiteru, Hiei." And she brushed her lips against his one more time before disappearing down the well in a flash of blue light.

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_Friday, March 2nd_

"So, Kagome will be back in a couple of days?" Kurama asked as he and Hiei walked along the crowded downtown street. Hiei had been frowning and growling at anyone and everyone who got too close. It was all Kurama could do to keep from laughing at him. He might be nice and calm when Kagome was around, but he was twice as irritable and ill-tempered when she was gone. He couldn't hold in a chuckle when Hiei's expression smoothed as he nodded.

"**Oh, he's got it bad. Poor little devil," **Youko shook his head in mock sympathy.

"_Don't make fun of him Youko. You know it wasn't easy for him to ask us for help._"

"**Hee hee! I know! -- If you can call 'Come on -- we're going downtown so you can show me what kind of gifts ningens give for White Day' asking for help.**" the kitsune snickered.

"**_I'm so glad you find this amusing, fox._**"

"**Oh, I do, I _do!_**"

"_Now, now. You have to admit, Hiei, this abrupt change in your behavior and attitude is certainly noteworthy. And you'll just have to excuse Youko for being just a bit jealous -- I must confess, I am as well._"

"**What? I'm not jealous of that little pipsqueak!**"

"_Don't deny it. Kagome is a lovely and charming young woman, as well as a powerful miko. Any male -- ningen or youkai would be fortunate to gain her love. And she and Hiei obviously complete each. I hope someday we are fortunate enough to find such a woman ourselves._"

"**All right. So, he accidentally stumbled across the one female in all of the three realms who can actually stand him, and she just happens to be brave and beautiful and strong. Maybe I am just a _little_ jealous. But, that doesn't change the fact that he's acting like a teenage boy who just got laid for the first time -- can't keep his hands off of her when she's around, and all moody and cranky when she's not. By the way, how was it?**"

Hiei narrowed his eyes and shot him a look promising pain and injury.

"**You haven't had her yet?!? What are you waiting for? Hell, you even got the hanyou's approval.**"

"**_Just because he accepted my claim on her doesn't mean _she_ is ready to be with me like that yet. You know as well as I do just how innocent she is. I will wait until she is ready._**"

Kurama stopped in front of a store and looked Hiei straight in the eye. "_I'm glad to hear you say that. You **are** planning to take her as your lifemate, aren't you?_"

Hiei scowled at him. "**_Of course. What did you think I was planning to do?_**"

"_I expected nothing less from you._"

"**_Good. Now that your curiosity is satisfied, show me what we came here for._**"

"_After you, my friend,_" Kurama said, as he indicated the door.

Three hours later, an extremely frustrated fire demon sat beside an extremely amused kitsune avatar on a bench in a nearly deserted park. Kurama had taken him to a confectioner's store, where he showed him everything from fancy bags of marshmallows to boxes of obscenely-shaped white chocolates. He had suggested cookies, and cakes, and pastries of all shapes and sizes, telling him these were the traditional types of gifts a man gave a woman for White Day. Not good enough.

Next, Kurama had taken him to a department store, which had huge displays of everything under the sun done in white. White handkerchiefs, white shawls, white kimonos, white parasols, white fans and haircombs, expensive white handbags, -- even white cell phones and iPods. Not good enough.

Their next stop was a lingerie store. They had matching sets of panties and bras, teddies and garters, nightgowns and robes, even pasties and thongs -- all in silky, frilly, lacey white. Not good enough. Though Hiei had to admit he wouldn't mind seeing her some of those. Of course, he wouldn't dream of buying her anything like that in front of the fox -- he didn't want Youko picturing her wearing any of them.

"**Too late.**" Youko told him, with a dreamy expression on his face.

Hiei growled. "**_Stop it now_**."

Kurama sighed. He suggested flowers, though he said if Hiei wanted to go that route to let him grow some for him. The apparition decided that might be nice, but it wasn't good enough. So, they went to a jeweler's. Hiei looked at bracelets, pendants, lockets, strings of pearls, and rings. Still, nothing seemed good enough for the woman who held his heart. So here they sat.

"You could take her out for the evening. Go to a nice restaurant, a play or show of some kind, then rent a room for the night."

Hiei glared at him. "I told you I'm not going to pressure her for that -- I'll wait until she's ready to be with me."

"I wasn't suggesting you throw her on the bed and ravish her. I'm merely telling you what a lot of men do for that special woman on White Day. Renting a room is actually pretty common."

"No."

"Well, then, you could always make her dinner or just take her somewhere special for a romantic picnic."

Hiei rolled his eyes at him. "When have you ever seen me cook?"

"**You can't be any worse than Kagome is,**" Youko laughed.

That just earned him a frosty glare. "There must be something else I can give her."

Kurama looked at him curiously. "Gomen. I just can't think of anything else. I've told you what some of the traditional gifts are, as well as some of the more modernly-accepted ones. These days, anything and everything can be manufactured or packaged in a way to make it acceptable for White Day. Maybe if you tell me why these things aren't 'good enough,' I'll be able to help you think of something that is. I have no idea what kind of thing you are looking for."

Hiei hesitated, then leaned forward and rested his forearms on his legs as he looked down at the ground. "I don't know either. You said ningen men usually reciprocate for what they received on Valentine's Day by _sanbai-gaeshi_ on White Day," he paused a minute, then continued in a low voice, "How does someone find something worth three times as much as his onna's love?"

Kurama smiled then reached over and patted him on the shoulder. "For that, you don't. You just give her yours."

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_Thursday, March 8th_

"She's five fucking days late! Don't tell me there's nothing you can do!" Hiei snarled at Koenma as he paced around his office.

"Calm down, Hiei. I'm sure she's all right. She's been late before -- sometimes they get held up by weather. You know they're traveling by foot most of the time," Kurama tried to reason with him.

"Yes, and sometimes they get held up because they're battling fucking S-class youkai or _hundreds_ of lower-class ones at one time, all of whom are trying to kill them," he snapped. "And she's been a day or two late before, but never _five_ _days_! That exam was important to her. She would have made every effort to be back in time."

"He's right. She told Keiko that exam was one of the most important ones she'd need to take before she graduates. There's gotta be _some_ way you can get that well to work so we can go find her." Yusuke didn't want to alarm Hiei any more than he already was, but he was really worried. When Keiko found out Kagome hadn't made it back in time for that stupid test, she had freaked. Apparently, Kagome had confided in her that she wasn't going to let Inuyasha lead them any further away than a three-day trip just to make doubly-sure she was back when she needed to be. _Plus_, she told her she wanted to spend as much time as she could with Hiei now, because if they hadn't completed the jewel by the time school was out, then after graduation, she would be staying there until they did. So, if she wasn't back, something had happened.

Koenma threw his hands up in the air. "Look! I'm concerned, too, but there's nothing I can do. There's a reason that well only works for her and Inuyasha -- _they_ are the ones who were destined to play out the fate of the Shikon no Tama. They're the only ones who can defeat Naraku. And that's why they're the only ones being allowed passage through time. Do you think I can just wave my hand and send someone into the past? That's beyond my power!"

"I'm going back to the shrine. Botan!" And Botan jumped up and summoned a portal for Hiei. He had been waiting at the shrine for the past 6 days, and only came into the Reikai to try to get Koenma to do something. He wouldn't have even left for that long if Kuwabara hadn't stayed at the shrine in case Kagome showed up in the few minutes that he was gone.

"I will go and wait with him. If something _has_ happened …" Kurama's words trailed off as he didn't want to voice what everyone was thinking. No one wanted a grief-stricken fire demon left on his own in the Ningenkai.

"Arigato, Kurama. I think that would be for the best," Koenma agreed.

"Hell, I'm going, too. And I imagine Kuwabara will stay. So, if you need us, we'll be at the shrine.," Yusuke said, with a nod to Botan. And they walked through the portal to join their friends and wait.

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_Saturday, March 10th_

The other three Spirit Detectives had been trying to distract Hiei and keep his spirits up, but it was a lost cause. And after two more days of waiting, there was no longer any denying that they all feared the worst. Even Kagome's mother, who was always so unfailingly cheerful, was hard-pressed to keep up appearances, and several times, -- usually at night, the youkai in the group had smelled the unmistakable tang of salt coming from her room. Keiko and Shizuru even brought Yukina over for a few hours today, but the little koorime had been so worried and sad that they had taken her back to Genkai's so Hiei wouldn't worry about her, too. Even Genkai herself had come over and checked out the well to see if she could see a way to tap into the magic. But she had simply grunted and shaken her head, and after paying her respects to Kagome's mother and arguing a bit with her grandfather, (who was actually rather taken with the feisty little woman), she had taken her leave. As for Hiei, well, he hadn't spoken to anyone, even to snap in irritation or frustration, in the last 36 hours or so. He just sat in the Goshinboku, his eyes fixed on the little building that housed the well. Every few hours, he would leap down and go into the building and just stare at the old, empty well.

It was around 10:00 p.m., and he had just come out of the building when a bright blue light flashed at the base of the Goshinboku, momentarily blinding all the of the detectives before it faded away. And there in its wake lay a small, still figure. In an instant, Hiei was beside it, kneeling down and brushing the long, black waves of hair out of its face. The unpleasant odor of blood permeated the courtyard. As Hiei quickly picked her up, Yusuke was already calling Botan for a portal into the Reikai -- it was obvious she needed their healers. Her family came running out of the house just in time to hear her groan. Hiei looked down at the tracks of tears making thin paths through the dirt and blood on her face. In a choked voice, she whispered, "It's over, … I … failed," then passed out.

_Monday, March 12th_

Kurama walked quietly up the stairs and opened the door to Kagome's room. She was sleeping, although restlessly, and Hiei was sitting on the bed beside her trying to soothe her by running a hand through her hair. It wasn't working.

"_How is she?_"

"**_The same,_**" Hiei grunted. Then he looked at the fox despairingly. "**_I don't know what to do -- she says she just feels … lost._**"

"_Just give it time. She has a lot to adjust to, but she'll be all right._"

When they had rushed her into the Reikai two nights ago, she had been severely injured. In addition to numerous cuts and bruises, her right shoulder was dislocated and had a large puncture wound going all the way through it, shattering the joint and her collarbone. She had a similar wound through her right thigh, breaking the femur. Her shirt was torn and covered with blood from a large gash in her side, and several of her ribs were broken, -- one of them puncturing a lung. The extent of her injuries was grave, and the amount of blood loss seemed fatal. Reikai's healers had immediately crowded the room she was taken to and tried to throw everyone else out, which had resulted in three of them being injured by an enraged fire demon before Yusuke and Kurama were able to drag him into a corner of the room and reason with him to let them do their job.

A few minutes later one of them rushed out to confer with Koenma, who came racing into the room to examine her himself. In his older form, he stood beside the bed she was lying on and slowly let his hands hover in the air above her going from her head to her feet and back again. He looked puzzled and a little troubled by what he had seen.

"What the hell's going on, toddler?!!?" Yusuke demanded.

But Koenma just ignored him for a minute as he appeared lost in thought. He brought his hand back over her torso and frowned. Then he sent all of the healers out of the room.

Hiei immediately grabbed him by the front of his shirt and shook him threateningly. "What are you doing? She needs to be healed."

"They can't heal her. She's not ningen anymore."

"WHAT?!!?" Yusuke yelled.

"What do you mean she's not ningen? Is she youkai?" Kurama asked.

"No."

They stared at him.

"I'm not sure _what _she is now, though I have my suspicions. I'll have to speak with father. I _do_ know the complete Shikon no Tama is inside her again, though it feels

different from the shards she was carrying. As for healing her, well, she's doing it herself -- just look." And they saw it was true. Her body had started glowing a soft pink, and warm waves of comfort swept the room and its inhabitants. When it was over, her eyes had slowly fluttered open and one of her hands had weakly reached up. Hiei had clasped it with one of his own and laid a hand gently on her cheek.

"Hiei?" her voice had sounded strained.

"Everything's all right, Kagome," he told her reassuringly.

"I'm so … tired."

"I'll take you home." And he had picked her up and walked out.

Koenma had watched them leave with a frown on his face. "I probably shouldn't let them go. I don't know if she will be allowed to stay in the Ningenkai." He sighed.

"What happened? What is she?" Kurama asked. He knew Koenma knew more than he had said.

The Spirit Realm prince hesitated, then said, "I think she has become an Immortal Guardian."

"An Immortal Guardian? What does that mean?" Kuwabara asked in confusion.

"They are beings whose primary purpose is to protect and care for a particular object or place of great significance or power. Since she has the Shikon no Tama, I am guessing that somehow she was given eternal guardianship of it. But, I don't understand how or why. That jewel was supposed to be purified and destroyed because its potential for misuse is too great."

"Perhaps that is what she was talking about," Kurama mused thoughtfully. Seeing Koenma's questioning look, he explained. "The only thing she said when she appeared was that it was over, and she had failed."

"Well, I need to see father to find out what we will have to do about her."

"What you will have to _do_ about her?!? So help me, Koenma, you'd better not be talking about locking her up here," Yusuke growled.

"We wouldn't _lock her up_, but she may have to stay in the Reikai. I have to find out what her situation is. Contact me when she wakes up -- I need to hear what happened." And he left.

"Hiei will have a fit if they try to confine her here," Yusuke said, voicing the thought going through everyone's mind. "Come on, we might as well go see how she's doing." And he put his hands in his pockets and shuffled out the door.

Kuwabara followed him, and Kurama also started to go, but a small flash of light caught his eye. He walked over to the bed where Hiei had been standing and bent down to pick something up off the floor. In his hand was a blood red tear gem.

Kagome had slept all that night and half of the next day, and Hiei hadn't left her side. When she finally woke up, Hiei had carried her down to the living room, and they had gathered everyone together so she would only have to tell her story once. She and her friends had only planned to travel a couple of villages over to meet with Kouga and the wolves to see if he had heard anything of Naraku. No one had seen or heard of any activity from him or any of his minions for weeks. When they got there, they were attacked by Byakuya, who during the course of their battle revealed that all of the shards were now accounted for, and Naraku was targeting Kouga and Kohaku for theirs. Byakuya succeeded in taking one of Kouga's and wounding him badly. Leaving him in Ginta and Hakkaku's care, they quickly headed out to find Kikyou and Kohaku.

It took them 4 days to find them, and as soon as they did, Byakuya showed up again with Mouryamaru. Again, they fought, and this time Miroku was injured. He had tried to use his wind tunnel again, but it had flared out of control. Kagome had managed to infuse his rosary and glove with her spiritual ki, and to cover his palm back up before it ripped wide open, but his body was terribly weakened. When their enemies fled again, they decided they needed to take Miroku to Mushin for treatment. That was another 3 days journey. Kagome knew there was no way she could go back home when the situation had become so dire. There was never any question of it, -- the exam didn't mean a thing when her friends were in so much danger, -- but she did feel bad because she knew Hiei and her family would worry.

After Miroku had recovered a little, they had met back up with Kouga, who had also recovered. Sesshoumaru had joined them with word that Naraku and his minion seemed to be gathering back around Kaede's village. It looked like the final battle would take place where it had all began. They had hurried to meet up with him and put an end to it all.

The battle began Friday night and raged the whole next day. In the end, it came down to Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and Kagome facing Naraku and Byakuya. The others were all injured or dead. Sesshoumaru managed to defeat Byakuya while Inuyasha and Kagome combined their attacks to take down Naraku. When Naraku sent a barrage of tentacles at Kagome, Inuyasha had stepped in front of her and taken the brunt of the attack, being impaled through the chest even as she was caught on a tentacle through her leg and the one through her shoulder. Naraku had pulled her to him and grabbed the chain holding the shards around her neck. Just as he ripped them from her, she had stuck her hand in his chest and purified _his_ shards, turning him to ashes.

Sesshoumaru walked over to where she lay, and handed her both halves of the jewel. She had fused them together, restoring his arm in the process. He promised to revive the fallen with Tenseiga as she made the wish. Here she had paused in her tale and fallen silent for several minutes. Hiei had held her tightly next to him and rubbed her back soothingly. When she looked back up, her eyes were full of tears.

"I failed. I made an impure wish."

"What did you wish for?" Koenma asked gently.

"I asked for my friends' loved ones to be restored to them."

Everyone thought about that for a minute, then Kuwabara spoke up. "I don't get it. How is that impure?"

"It was selfish because in trying to make them happy, I made myself happy. The souls in the jewel cried out when I did it. They told me that since the jewel wasn't destroyed, I would have to serve as its Guardian for all time because I am the only one who can keep it from being tainted by evil. If it should ever fall into someone else's hands, they can still use it, but I will never be able to destroy it and release the souls. I failed." Tears were coursing down her cheeks now. "But I would do it again. Right before the jewel brought me here, I saw Kikyou, alive, with Inuyasha in his human form, and Shippou's father was holding him. Sango and Miroku were standing with Kohaku and a man I think is Miroku's father, and Kouga's whole wolf tribe surrounded him. I tried to tell them to be happy and that I loved them, but I don't know if they heard me. The next thing I remember is seeing Hiei."

"They heard you," Koenma told her. He also told her that they still weren't sure yet exactly what her situation was. It might be too dangerous for her to remain in the Ningenkai, and the Makai was _definitely_ not an option. He was investigating options that would allow her to stay, but he couldn't promise anything.

Soon after, the others had left to allow her to rest some more. Since then, she had told Hiei she didn't know what to do. She had new, stronger powers coursing through her as an Immortal Guardian, and though she retained her ningen appearance, she said she didn't even _feel_ like herself anymore. She ached to see her friends in the past, but couldn't, and her future was so uncertain. She might not even be allowed to stay near her family, and even if she _could_, she wasn't sure she _should_, because with the complete Shikon no tama inside her, she would be putting them in more danger than ever.

As she fidgeted restlessly in her sleep, Hiei picked her up and placing her on his lap, held her against him and nuzzled in her hair comfortingly. Her arms encircled his waist and she clutched him tightly for a minute before finally letting out a small sigh and relaxing. Hiei looked up at Kurama again.

"**_How do I help her adjust?_**"

Kurama smiled at him. "_By doing what you're doing. If she feels lost, you just need to be the constant in her life. Give her something to anchor herself to. You know how strong she is -- trust me, she'll be fine. Why don't you try to take her mind off of recent events for a while? Give her something 'normal' to do. Have you decided on something to give her for White Day? Why don't you take her somewhere_?"

The apparition thought about that for a minute. "**_Maybe I will._**" He nodded. "**_Hai. That might be a good idea._**"

"_If you need any help with anything, just let me know._" And he got up to leave. Then he stopped and reached into his pocket and handed the tear gem he had found to Hiei.

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_Wednesday, March 14th -- White Day_

Hiei and Kagome were sitting on a large white blanket near a small lake, deep in the forest surrounding Genkai's temple. Hiei had asked Kurama to fix them some food for a nice picnic-style dinner, and after visiting with everyone for a little while at the temple, they had set out for the lake. Now they were sitting in comfortable silence, watching the sunset over the water. Kagome was wearing a pretty blue sundress, decorated with white sakura blossoms. Her long black hair cascaded down her back in thick waves. She had it tied back from her face with the white ribbon she had found on her pillow that morning along with a single white rose. She had smiled when she had seen it as soon as she woke up. She had forgotten today was White Day, and she certainly hadn't expected Hiei to know about the ningen custom, let alone make such a traditional gesture. By wearing the white ribbon, she was letting everyone know there was a special man in her life. He certainly was _that_.

She had gone to school, and was allowed to take a make-up exam, thanks to some strings Koenma pulled and some official-looking notes from physicians. Then Hiei had taken her over to Genkai's, where she had enjoyed being around her friends. She was starting to feel a little better about things, but was still anxious about what would happen with her new position as and Immortal Guardian. She really didn't want to have to live in the Reikai. She wanted to be near her family and friends. But as she looked over at the handsome youkai sitting next to her, she felt a wave of contentment flow through her. She knew that as long as she could be near him, it would be okay. He had loaned her his strength when she was feeling weak, his comfort when she was sad, and his understanding about what she had done. She had thought Koenma and the other Spirit Detectives would be mad at her -- after all, she was causing them more problems just by having the jewel around. But they had all been understanding.

"Arigato, Hiei." She reached out and touched his face with the backs of her fingers. When he just arched a brow at her, she giggled. "For everything. This was a wonderful White Day, but more important, I am grateful that you have stood by me and helped me. I'm still a little nervous about what's going to happen, but … I know it'll be okay if you're with me. I don't mean you have to be with me all the time like you've been since I came back, but, … well, you know what I mean, right?"

Hiei took her hand that had been resting on his cheek and placed a kiss in the palm before laying it against his chest. "Do you like it here?" he asked.

She frowned just a bit, trying to figure out exactly what he was asking. "Here at the lake? Yes, it's beautiful. You picked the perfect spot for a picnic."

He leaned forward and kissed her briefly before sitting back a little away from her. He looked over at the lake. "I couldn't find anything to get you for White Day." When she started to protest and pointed out the rose and the ribbon and the dinner and the beautiful setting, he put a finger to her lips. "No. None of those things even begins to compare to what you gave me."

She blinked at him. "Hiei, all I gave you was that bandanna," she pointed to the white bandanna with a fierce black dragon emblazoned across it that he was wearing, "and a chocolate heart."

He grinned at her then. "You stayed up half the night to make that heart." She blushed a vibrant crimson as she remembered the many disasters her mother's kitchen had suffered that night. "And even though it was perfect and very tasty, and I know how much time and effort you put into making it, that wasn't the best thing you gave me." He stood up and unclasped his cloak at the shoulder to take it off. "You gave me something no one else has ever given me -- something I never expected to have, … you gave me your love." And as he dropped the cloak on the ground beside him, Kagome couldn't stop the tear that ran down her face even as she smiled in awe at him. He was dressed completely in white, right down to his boots. "I know it's not worth near as much as yours, but I'm offering you all of mine -- but you have to take all of me along with it. Aishiteru, Kagome."

Kagome jumped up and tackled him, knocking him to the ground and covering his face with kisses. "Aishiteru, Hiei," she whispered. From the trees nearby, some interested eyes widened in surprise. "Well, Holy Crap! What got into Hiei? He didn't come up with that all by himself, did he? Did you help him with that?" Yusuke asked Kurama.

"No, I'm just as surprised as you are. I knew he wanted her for his lifemate, but I certainly never imagined him asking her in such dashing fashion. Frankly, I'm a little shocked."

"**_You're_ shocked?!!? I saw it and I still don't believe it! Oh, just wait until we see him tomorrow.**" Youko rubbed his hands together in anticipation of the way he was going tease the little demon.

"_Don't you dare, Youko!_"

Kuwabara was still standing there with his mouth hanging open. "I don't believe it. I just don't believe it."

"Hush! He's giving her something," Yusuke shushed him.

Sitting up, Hiei had reached into his shirt pocket and handed Kagome a piece of paper. "What's this?" She looked at the drawing on the paper. It was of a pretty white house next to a lake. "Koenma got his father to agree to let you stay in the Ningenkai -- since I will always be with you as your mate to protect you, -- as long as we live here in the forest near Genkai's temple where you'll have the extra protection of the spiritual powers on the grounds. So, I bought this part of the forest."

"Well, Hell's Bells! That's not Hiei! He's been taken over by the ghost of a kitsune or something," Yusuke cried.

"I don't believe it. I just don't believe it," Kuwabara repeated.

"Quiet!" Kurama warned them.

"And if you want to, your grandfather can perform that ningen ceremony," Hiei told her, as he pulled something else out of his pocket and handed it to her. In a small white box was a stunning ring with a blood-red, tear-shaped gem.

Hiei once again found himself lying flat on his back, with the woman he loved pressing her lips passionately to his. Soon, she was trailing heated kisses across his jaw and down his neck, where she paused to gently suck on the sensitive skin there. Lost in the haze of the wonderful sensations she was evoking in him, it was a few minutes before he felt the slight breeze blowing against his chest. Looking down, he saw that Kagome had unbuttoned his shirt and was slowly working her way down to his pants. "What are you doing?"

She just smirked at him as she quickly unbuckled his belts. "I'm unwrapping my White Day gift."

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Back at Genkai's, Yusuke was telling the women what they had seen and heard, in spite of Kurama telling him he shouldn't. Keiko and Yukina were practically swooning over Hiei's romantic declaration, while Genkai and Shizuru were more interested in what was happening when they left. Kuwabara was finally coming to -- he had fainted when Hiei had pulled out the ring. "I don't believe it. I just don't believe it."

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It was mid-morning as Kagome lay snuggled up next to her lifemate. They had both slept the early part of the morning away after spending the night in each others' arms. She couldn't help but think about all that had happened in just the last month -- things she hadn't allowed herself to think about before. She had always been afraid to think about what the future might hold for her after the jewel was completed. She hadn't even been sure she would survive the battle with Naraku. And if she did, she hadn't known which side of the well she might end up on. She hadn't planned to make a selfish wish -- it had simply been impossible to ignore her need to make the friends she loved so dearly, happy. She certainly had never dreamed she would become an immortal being or that she might not be allowed to live out her life in the Ningenkai. She hadn't even decided on something as simple as whether or not to go to university. Then there was Hiei.

She smiled and rubbed her cheek against his bare chest. She had never dared to hope that he might return her feelings. He had given her everything -- his acceptance, his friendship, his support, his comfort, his encouragement, and his love. For life. She touched the small black dragon on the side of her neck that comprised his mark, before pressing a soft kiss to the kanji over his heart that was hers. She hadn't known that her ki would mark him as he claimed her for his own. Her fingers traced over the lines.

"_Koibito_"

He had offered her just what she needed when she needed it most. He had given her a future. "Hiei?"

"Hm?" He had moved her onto her back so he could nuzzle into her neck, nipping lightly at the skin before soothing it with his tongue.

"Did you mean it? About Jii-chan performing a marriage ceremony for us?"

He raised his head and gazed deeply into her eyes. "Anything for you, koiishi." and he captured her lips in a heated kiss before returning to that enticing section of flesh on her neck.

Kagome smiled. It was mid-March. "Can we have him do it soon?"

"Hai. Why?"

She mentally counted on her fingers. "Because I know what I'm giving you for Christmas."


End file.
